Conviction
by PeachBlossom96
Summary: When Sakura is captured and used as a weapon against her closest friends by dangerous criminals, the Akatsuki, her entire view of the world is changed. She is forced to see the ninja world for what it really is and revaluate her ideas and alliances. She will remain strong. pairings are ItaSaku and NaruSaku, with a little Deidara and Sasori as well. Sexual content and language.
1. Confrontation

Conviction

This is a developing fanfic with the main pairings being between ItachiXSakura and NarutoXSakura, most likely with a little Sasori and Deidara sprinkled in as well… we'll see how the story develops. This story will adhere to the canon timeline, all the way to chapter 699, for the most part.

Rated M for language and sexual content.

Please enjoy.

* * * marks a flash back

…etc. marks a time skip.

Confrontation

Emerald eyes flashed as a chakra-enhanced fist collided with the hollow wooden frame of a man. Fiery green eyes met with infuriated hazel ones as the force of her inhuman punch split his imitation body to pieces, scattering them across the now demolished landscape.

To the young, battle-hardened girl, this was an immense victory. She could not have known that the battle she was currently giving her all in would change the course of her life forever.

…..

"Sakura-chan! Are you okay?"

Sakura snapped out of her thought-induced stupor to meet the concerned gaze of her friend and teammate.

"Oh, I'm sorry Naruto, I was just thinking," the pink haired girl replied, somewhat sheepishly. She smiled in an attempt to show her friend that she was indeed fine, but her smile faltered at the sight of his furrowed brow. A frown had taken the place where a blindingly radiant smile usually sat.

Sakura wanted to grieve. She desperately wanted to give in to her swelling emotions, but she couldn't show that. For a moment Sakura held his gaze, still attempting to feign a calm demeanor, but eventually her emerald eyes dropped. She knew she could not fool her closest friend.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto said, softer this time, but she could hear the sternness in his voice. He wanted answers.

Her jade eyes still avoided meeting his gaze. Instead they focused on the worn wood of the park bench they were currently seated on as she absentmindedly peeled paint off with her nails. Sakura inhaled deeply, taking in the smell of her village. The crisp autumn air mingled with the lingering scent of food that had wafted over from the busy streets of Konaha and hung over the empty park. Dried leaves fell from the trees and scattered about their feet as a gust of wind blew through the parkway. The mood was calm as she sat on the little bench with Naruto, completely secluded from everyone else. Usually these things would calm and soothe her, but today she didn't feel comforted.

Finally, Sakura looked to her teammate.

"I'm sorry Naruto, it's just that I'm still so confused as to how to feel after my battle with Sasori..." Sakura trailed off, her hand instinctively caressing the fresh scar given to her by the fiery haired Akatsuki member. An action that did not go unnoticed by the whiskered boy who intently starred at her.

"He…" Sakura paused, her voice wavering slightly " he should have killed me," she continued, her voice barely above a whisper.

Memories of her previous battle began to consume her thoughts as Sakura recalled her fight with the Scorpion of the Sand.

"If Lady Chio had not been there, I'm not sure what would have happened. Even though she was there to aid me…we should have been defeated." Her hand gripped her scar harder as she remembered the pain of the poisoned blade piercing her.

Sakura lowered her eyes from Naruto's, no longer able to face him.

Her voice barley audible, "I should have di-"

"Enough!" Naruto growled as he grabbed her hand that had slowly begun to clench harder and harder on her side. His sudden outburst surprised Sakura, her anger bubbling up but it soon subsided when she looked up and saw the pain in his face.

"Enough, Sakura…" he repeated, softer this time, his sparkling blue eyes raising to meet hers. "Please, don't talk like that. If you were meant to die, you would have, and even if you were, I wouldn't let that happen!" Naruto stated, his voice reverberating with determination. Sakura smiled in spite of herself. That was the affect Naruto had on her, and not just her, on people in general. He was a ray of sunshine; a feeling of pure warmth that wrapped you up and refused to let you go. He never failed to comfort her, and Sakura would always be grateful for that.

She met his eyes and smiled genuinely, causing her blond friend to return the action ten fold.

"You're right Naruto. I'll be all right. Especially if I have you by my side," Sakura said, laughing lightly at his goofy expression. She then threw a soft punch at his arm, earning a grunt from her tenacious teammate.

Sakura stood from the park bench they were seated on and turned to him, beckoning him upwards.

With an exhausted sigh, Sakura stretched and said, "I suppose we should be going home now. We need plenty sleep for our mission tomorrow. We'll need all of our strength if we're going to meet with Sasori's spy…and get Sasuke-kun back."

…..

At her home, Sakura packed her bag, getting all of the necessary materials she would need on her mission the next day. She couldn't help but notice the slight trembling of her fingertips as she reached for items to put into her pack. Her jade eyes lowered to inspect her hands as the trembled ever so slightly in the dim light. She scowled and willed herself to stop, but her slender, pale fingers continued to shake. She let out a sigh and flopped bonelessly on her bed.

" _It's completely normal to be nervous before such a dangerous mission, "_ Sakura reasoned with herself. " _Tomorrow I'll be going on a mission with a teammate I dislike, with a captain I'm unfamiliar with, to a dangerous location to meet with an Akatsuki spy...to find Sasuke."_

Sasuke.

The mere mention or thought of his name caused her chest to tighten painfully and her throat to contract as if her body were collapsing in on itself. What would he be like? Would he be calm and collected, or would he be cruel? Did he miss them, his village, or his teammates…did he miss her?

Sakura screwed her eyes shut and let out a heavy sigh. She didn't need to be thinking about this right now. She needed focus, and she needed sleep.

Unfortunately for the blossom haired kunoichi, her sleep would be fitful, and her dreams plagued with images of constricting snakes.

…

Sakura opened her bedroom door, her body stiff with withheld emotions. She walked into her room, gently closed the door, and stood motionless for a few short moments…then she collapsed to the floor. Her sobs racked her body, crashing over her like waves that threatened to break her very being apart.

The mission had been a total failure. Yes, they had managed to work as a team, had found the spy, found Orochimaru, and found…Sasuke.

The thought of his name brought a fresh wave of pain shoot through Sakura's body, making the mourning kunoichi choke out another deep, painful sob.

 _"Sasuke-kun."_

How could it have gone _so_ wrong?

Sakura closed her eyes and willed herself not to recall the events of the past few days but the painful memories came, nonetheless.

She was running through the tunnels of the snake sanin's underground hideout, running towards the rays of light beaming in through the outside. That was where Sai was.

Sakura snarled and ran full force, grabbing Sai by his shirt, hauling him upwards. Furiously, she began to speak when her breath caught in her throat. She turned her head upwards, towards the sky. Her crystalline eyes sparkled as she turned her face upwards to the sun, then they stilled when met with another pair of eyes that shone midnight black.

There he stood, so far above her.

"Sasuke-kun" she breathed.

Suddenly Sakura was snapped out of her mournful reminiscing when a searing pain flew through her left arm. Hissing, she gathered healing chakra into her palm and placed it over her throbbing bicep. She looked down through squinted eyes and clenched teeth to see the source of the throbbing pain.

It was the wound where Naruto had struck her.

Sakura's pained expression was quickly replaced with a sorrowful one. That was the other event that had made the mission so disastrous. She thought she would be able to save Naruto, to help him somehow, but to no avail. He had lost all his senses and transformed into some sort of monster, and he had struck her.

The wound was like nothing she had ever experienced, causing her both searing pain and numbness, making the use of her arm extremely difficult.

Sakura closed her eyes and tried to even out her breathing, remembering when she had been leaping from tree to tree and when her arm had suddenly given out on her after sustaining the injury from her friend.

She could still feel her muscles locking up and her fingers slipping from their grasp on the branch she had been clinging to. She could still see Naruto's confused and pained expression when she had reached out to him as he had attempted to catch her.

She could still feel the air passing between their fingertips as they had failed to grasp each other's hands.

Sakura sighed and fell back against the floor, attempting to heal both her physical wound, and her emotional ones as well.

…

For a few days, the Hokage let the remnants of team seven mourn. She could understand the pain of realizing that a dear friend had changed and had become a darker person. She could be understanding to a point.

To be honest, Sakura was surprised that her master had given her so much time to recuperate after her team's disastrous mission. As she walked to the Hokage tower she could only wonder what mission she would be sent on.

With a heavy sigh she could only hope it wasn't anything too terribly strenuous, for her arm was still not fully recovered. Apparently Captain Yamato had told Naruto that it was he himself that had caused the painful injury to her, so Naruto had been avoiding her.

" _It's probably out of guilt,"_ Sakura supposed.

She could hardly blame him since he felt such a strong need to protect his friends, yet it was him that had inflicted such a terrible wound.

" _Poor thing…"_ Sakura thought sadly. When she returned from her mission she would have to tell him that she wasn't angry and she didn't blame him.

Sakura entered the Hokage's office and stood before her shishou, putting on her most placid face.

"Lady Tsunade," Sakura greeted professionally.

Tsunade gave her a small smile and handed a file to her student.

"Hello Sakura. This is a briefing of the mission you'll be going on. It's nothing difficult. You'll simply be traveling to Earth country to heal the daughter of a feudal lord," Tsunade stated plainly.

Sakura took the file and gave a small frown.

"I'm sorry Shishou, but isn't this a little unnecessary? Can't he find a healer in the Hidden Stone village?" Sakura questioned, a little confused.

Tsunade sat back at her desk and met her young student's gaze.

"I asked this myself, but he is a very wealthy man that wants only the best for his children. He heard that you are my pupil and asked for you specifically," Tsunade explained. "And besides," she continued. " I thought this would help you take your mind off things…" she ended softly.

Sakura paused and nodded, appreciating her master's understanding.

"You will leave tomorrow, but I told him you'd arrive within a week. This will allow you to take your time, so don't over exert yourself, understand?" the Hokage stated, sternly.

"Yes Shishou, thank you," Sakura said, and gave her master a bow.

"Good, you are dismissed," Tsunade said, resting her hands on her desk.

As Sakura turned to leave Tsunadea cleared her throat, causing the pink haired kunoichi to turn and face her master once again.

"Sakura…be careful," Tsunade said gently.

Sakura smiled at her master's kind concern.

"Of course, my lady," Sakura said, then she exited the room to prepare herself for her upcoming mission.

On her walk home Sakura felt a very familiar presence behind her and turned, smiling.

"Hello Sensei," she greeted warmly.

The tall silver haired ninja behind her smiled behind his mask and held up a hand.

"Yo," he stated plainly.

Sakura couldn't help but scoff at the characteristically unprofessional greeting of her masked teacher. He heard her small laugh and smiled in return.

"What are you doing out of the hospital? Did you run away again?" Sakura questioned teasingly.

Kakashi held up his hands in a gesture of innocence.

"I assure you I have no idea what you are alluding to," he replied calmly.

Sakura laughed and continued walking as her sensei fell into place beside her.

They walked in silence for a few moments, simply enjoying each other's company after not working together for a while. They quietly walked through the bustling streets, brushing by the busy civilians and carts as they went. The two passed street vendors advertising their wares and restaurant after restaurant, the smells of hot food wafting into the air and settling over the streets. The walk was silent, but not awkward, since the two ninja were so accustomed to each other's presence. Sakura was enjoying the momentary serenity of their walk, savoring the sounds and smells of her village. Then her sensei spoke.

"I'm sorry for not being there when you two needed me…and I'm sorry to hear about Sasuke," he stated placidly as they walked.

Sakura felt her breath catch in her throat, and even though she tried to hide it, she knew there was no way that it escaped the expert eyes of her Sensei. Sakura willed herself to continue walking at a steady pace and inhaled. After taking a deep breath, Sakura then met the unreadable gaze of her teacher.

"We know you would have been there if you were able and…I don't think anything would have changed the outcome of the mission…" Sakura trailed off quietly. Then, as if she needed another reason to be emotional, a sharp jolt in her arm sent a fresh wave of pain throughout her body, causing her jaw to clench. She sighed inwardly, now irritated at herself. She then felt a soft touch on her shoulder.

"And I'm sorry about what happened between you and Naruto," Kakashi said quietly, meeting Sakura's shimmering gaze.

Sakura smiled thinly, and let out a small sigh.

"This will heal eventually, I'll be fine… It's Naruto I'm worried about," Sakura explained to her concerned Sensei.

He nodded knowingly and smiled, which confused Sakura. As if sensing her upcoming questions, he began to explain himself.

"Starting tomorrow, I'm going to begin training Naruto. I plan on finding the nature of his chakra to help him develop his own jutsu. And Yamato will be there to make sure things don't get out of hand. Don't worry Sakura, we'll take care of him while you're away," her sensei assured her.

Sakura let out a sigh, happy that her dear friend would be tended to by her sensei and given an opportunity to progress. Then something he had said caught her attention.

"Wait, how did you know I would be away?" Sakura asked credulously.

Kakashi simply chuckled and looked at the confused kunoichi.

"I always keep tabs on my favorite students," he said, smiling.

Sakura smiled and laughed, glad to be feeling better and actually excited about leaving for a relaxing mission. Then, when she returned she could see how Naruto and Kakashi were progressing. Soon the two ninja arrived at Sakura's home. They stood there for a moment in silence before Sakura turned to address her mentor.

"Well, I guess I should go prepare for my mission, so I'll see you when I get back," Sakura said with a small smile on her lips. "…And Kakashi-sensei?" she asked.

He raised an eyebrow, his way of telling her to continue.

"Please take care of Naruto, and tell him I'm looking forwards to seeing that new jutsu of his," Sakura said softly, her concern and care for her dear blond friend coming through in her voice.

Kakashi was still for a moment then smiled, nodded his head, then he was gone. Sakura smiled, feeling immensely better than when she did when her day began. She then entered her home to prepare for her trip to Earth country.

…

Sakura had been traveling for four days, taking a moderately slow pace to her destination, at least by ninja standards. She ran slowly, enjoying the scenery as forests slowly turned into grassy plains, and then to rocky mountains. She spent her nights in a tent, with a small but comfy sleeping bag. Hidden within the dense forestry Sakura felt unafraid as she slept, actually enjoying the dark and quiet that was so far away from people. Each morning she would wake and pack her things, then continue her journey. Finally, on the forth evening she reached the town in Earth country where she was supposed to heal the feudal lord's daughter.

Apparently she had been attacked and had suffered a few cracked ribs, a broken wrist, and other minor injuries. The skilled kunoichi had brought all the proper binding supplies, but she doubted she would need them. Her healing chakra should be plenty sufficient to mend the young girl completely.

At first Sakura was a little worried about finding the place she needed to go, but these fears turned out to be ungrounded. At the far end of town a huge compound could be seen, much like the Uchiha and Hyuga compounds of the Leaf.

 _"Tsunade wasn't kidding about him being wealthy,"_ Sakura thought, slightly in awe of the opulence of the castle as she approached the front gate.

There were guards atop towers framing the huge gate and, after showing the guards her credentials, they allowed Sakura entry into a huge courtyard. After Sakura crossed the threshold of the gate the huge doors swung closed with a thunderous bang.

Looking around, Sakura could clearly see that the family that owned this home was undeniably rich. The courtyard held a vast garden that was scattered with beautiful trees and colorful flowers. Huge weeping willow trees created a pathway towards the center, their now barren branches gently swaying in the autumn breeze. Slowly, Sakura made her way through the courtyard to where a large fountain sat, its gently running water the only sound that could be heard besides the rustling of leaves. Her green gaze scanned the immense area as she looked for someone to speak to about her mission, but to her surprise no one could be found.

Sakura strode forward through the beautiful garden towards a tall building and knocked on the first door she found. As she waited, the young kunoichi couldn't help but notice the eerie silence that had befallen the compound. Usually in a castle as large as this there were guards, servants, or family members bustling about, always making noise in some form or another. However there was nothing…no people, no sound.

The hairs on the back of Sakura's neck began to rise as the young kunoichi began to sense that something was _wrong._ Her emerald eyes darted around the huge expanse of the courtyard, from the large walls surrounding the compound, to the towering sealed gates at the entrance. Then, in a split second Sakura forced chakra into her leg and jumped to the left, barely avoiding a projectile as it whizzed right by her cheek. She leapt several feet away, landing near the fountain at center of the courtyard. Just as her feet touched the ground the small projectile exploded, blowing away half of a building.

Barely having time to overcome her shock as wood and debris flew towards her, Sakura jumped again as more projectiles were thrown at her. As she was leaping away she then became aware of three presences and could tell she was surrounded.

" _I was set up!"_ Sakura seethed as she whirled around in an attempt to kick a chunk of rock that was hurtling towards her.

There never was a daughter she needed to heal! Someone had wanted her, and apparently they had wanted her dead.

Sakura sent extremely precise amounts of chakra into her fists and legs as she prepared herself for a three on one battle.

The first attacker she saw was a young blond man wearing a long black cloak with swirling red clouds. He was sitting atop a giant white bird high above the compound, hurling bomb after bomb towards her with an excited grin on his face.

 _"Deidara of the Akatsuki,"_ Sakura thought, her mouth going dry and her blood cold.

She immediately knew she was fighting a losing battle.

 _"Wait, I thought he was dead?!"_ Sakura inwardly screeched as the blond man continued to destroy the beautiful courtyard with his onslaught of explosives. She dove behind a large tree as a bomb exploded dangerously close to her. She could feel the trunk of the tree crack as the force of the explosion sent reverberations all throughout the compound.

" _Okay, I just need to fight enough to escape, then I'll run!"_ Sakura thought, her mind racing as she jumped from behind the broken tree and dodged projectile after projectile.

In order to create cover for her to escape, the kunoichi sent chakra into her right fist, its blue color flaring, then punched the ground as hard as she could. Huge chunks of earth and rock flew into the air and dust swirled, making vision nearly impossible. Sakura then masked her chakra and made a dash for a broken part of the compound wall, hoping to jump over it and run into the surrounding forest. The bombs had stopped exploding; telling Sakura knew that Deidara could no longer see her and that her plan was working. However, that was where her luck ran out.

A figure suddenly appeared in front of her in a swirl of smoke and her sparkling green eyes were immediately met with swirling crimson ones.

Sakura immediately averted her eyes, and turned a one-eighty, running in the opposite direction. However the air felt heavier than before as she ran and she knew she had already been caught in the traitorous Uchiha's genjutsu.

Sakura had never done well at casting genjustsu but she prided herself on her ability to break them. Quickly concentrating to the fullest extent she could, Sakura summoned her chakra and broke free of the illusion that had been cast on her. However in the few seconds that had taken, the cloaked Akatsuki member had wasted no time in attacking her. His right leg connected to her side and sent her flying towards the debris she had created earlier. Sakura ignored the searing pain in her ribs and righted herself in the air in just enough time to avoid several more flying explosives hurled at her from the blonde member of the terrorist group, who was currently hovering about thirty feet above her.

Sakura landed and swiftly kicked a huge chunk of earth at the blond in an attempt to unsteady him so he would stop bombarding her.

Cha!" she screamed as her foot connected with the rock, sending it hurtling towards the man at an ungodly speed, causing him to jump off of his bird and onto the ground. Before Sakura could even attempt to pursue him, Itachi was on her again. Sakura stared at the ground and used her chakra-enhanced senses to battle him instead of her eyesight.

 _"I just need to hit him once and run. Just once!"_ Sakura thought desperately as she prepared to swing at the raven-haired man before her.

Swallowing her fear, Sakura ensued in a taijustu battle with the infamous Uchiha. Each time she swung she only hit air but she could tell that he was making absolutely sure to avoid her chakra-laden fists, preventing him from attacking.

Just as her hopes began to rise she sensed Deidara running towards her. She turned to face him and was surprised to find that Itachi was not pursuing her. Not having time to ponder this Sakura immediately began fighting the blonde who was throwing a kick in her direction. Sakura avoided it, put her hand on his knee and swung her body upwards, throwing her own leg down at him. Her glittering green eyes met his blazing blue ones as he swiftly evaded her ferocious kick in turn and threw a punch.

As his fist whizzed by her Sakura's eyes widened. _"Wait,"_ she thought desperately as she continued to match the blond blow for blow. " _Before he 'died' didn't he lose both of his arms to Garra and Kakashi-sensie?!"_

Fighting through her confusion, Sakura continued to attempt to land a hit on the man currently attacking her, but instead he avoided her attack and landed a punch directly to her stomach.

Gasping, but not faltering, Sakura gabbed his arm as he attempted to retract it. Then, using all of her force, she squeezed it until she felt bones crush beneath her gloved fingers. He hissed through gritted teeth and Sakura smirked, tasting blood in her mouth from his hit earlier.

Still holding his now broken arm Sakura whirled around and hauled the man upwards, preparing to slam his body onto the ground. However, just as she turned her body stilled as a familiar sensation overtook her joints. Without her mind's consent the stunned kunoichi dropped Deidara and her arms stiffly went to her sides. Straining widened emerald eyes, Sakura looked down to see chakra threads attached to her body.

"What?" Sakura gasped quietly, in a state of confusion and shock.

Suddenly an eerily familiar, sultry voice could be heard from across the now demolished courtyard.

"I told you not to underestimate the little girl," a red haired man with dead hazel eyes said to his blond companion who was now pushing himself off of the ground.

"Shut up, un," the blonde growled as he stood, attempting to hide his discomfort as his left arm hung limply at his side.

Then, in an instant Sakura felt her body being hauled backwards across the destroyed courtyard and she knew she had to break free from the chakra threads quickly.

Concentrating, the kunoichi focused and sent her own chakra to her joints and flared it, breaking the hold Sasori had on her. She fell to the ground and quickly rolled to the right, barely avoiding a kick from the vengeful blond. She looked up to see his enraged expression and swallowed, attempting to calm herself.

As she quickly jumped off of the ground, narrowly avoiding another kick, she was grateful that Sasori and Itachi seemed content to stay out of the fray for now but her hopes were quickly diminishing.

 _"Even if I manage to defeat Deidara, how on earth will I escape Sasori and Itach?"_ she inwardly panicked.

Sakura was jerked from her thoughts when Deidara sent a handful of explosives towards her and she was forced to quickly leap out of the way. As she leapt into the air she grabbed the scaffolding of a rooftop and began to swing herself upwards when a searing pain erupted from her left arm and her body stilled.

 _"No, not now,"_ Sakura inwardly pleaded but to no avail. Her injury from Naruto's kyubi form was acting up again and she felt her grip slip. She began falling towards the ground and as she looked down she saw Sasori appear beneath her. He swiftly lifted his knee as Sakura's stomach slammed down onto it, earning a guttural gasp from the blossom haired kunoichi.

"Hello, little girl," he breathed as she rolled off of his knee and attempted to regain her balance. Just as she righted herself Deidara was instantly behind her and he swiftly wrapped his unbroken arm around her throat, effectively cutting off her air supply.

Gasping, Sakura threw her elbow behind her, hitting him in his stomach. Deidara grunted and Sakura broke free, making another panicked attempt to flee.

Her left arm was currently useless, she was out numbered, she knew she had at least three cracked ribs, and her chakra wouldn't last forever. Just as she thought she could clear the courtyard Itachi Uchiha instantly appeared in front of her.

"Hurry up and take care of her, I tire of this game," she heard Sasori call from several yards behind her.

Itachi simply looked down at Sakura, who was currently averting her eyes and swiftly grabbed her by the throat. Sakura scowled and threw a chakra-enhanced kick at the tormenter of her childhood love, but he quickly avoided it and slammed her into the ground.

Instinctively Sakura's crystalline eyes flashed opened and once again were met with blood red ones. She watched helplessly as red sharringhan spun and she felt herself losing conciseness. She made a final attempt to injure him and she threw a swift kick and just barely grazed his leg. His face made no sign that she had hit him but she knew she had caused him pain, even if just a little.

The last thing she saw before her vision faded into nothingness was Sasori kneeling beside her and stabbing something into her neck while Deidara stood over her. The blond delivered a swift stomp to her knee and then everything went black.

…..

Naruto trudged through the streets of Kohnaha, his stomach twisting with each step he took. Before he could concentrate on his training he needed to talk to her, to set things straight. The blond took a deep breath and sighed as he looked at his hands.

As he intently stared down at his slightly trembling palms images of his last mission began flooding the young jinjuriki's mind.

He could see Sakura falling from so high up in the trees, her beautiful eyes full of surprise and a hint of fear. The way her pretty pink lips parted in a gasp as she reached for him, her expression pained and pleading. His hand reaching for her…and missing. Watching her plummet down…all because he had struck her.

Naruto pulled his head up, snapping himself out of his sulky mood and gave a determined huff. No, He would not dwell on this right now. He just needed to talk to her, talk things out, it would be fine.

Naruto approached her house and gave her door a confident and loud knock.

He straightened his back and puffed up his chest. He could do this!

Then the door opened and all of Naruto's confidence was gone with the wind.

"Oh hello Naruto, dear. How are you?" Sakura's mother asked, greeting Naruto with a smile.

Naruto faltered but then straightened his shoulders and smiled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, ha, high Mrs. Haruno! I was, um…is Sakura-chan here?"

Sakura's mother's smile lessoned and she shook her head.

"No, dear, I'm sorry. She left about four days ago and won't be back for another week at least. I'm sorry, I thought she would have told you," Sakura's mother said, apologizing on her daughter's behalf.

"I swear, that girl. She can be so rude and-"

"Oh, um, thanks Mrs. Haruno. I'll just talk to her then," Naruto interrupted, faking a smile.

Sakura's mother looked surprised but smiled and nodded.

"Okay then , goodbye Naruto!" she said smiling, and gently closed the door.

Naruto turned and began descending the steps, feeling defeated. He wouldn't get to see Sakura for a week at the least. He had really been hoping to discuss what had happened on their last mission.

He gave a sigh, and continued walking to the training grounds to meet his sensei.

" _It's only a week,"_ he reasoned with himself, _"she'll be fine."_

He could not have known just how wrong he was.

…

That concludes the first chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. Reviews are always appreciated and entice me to write quicker. Let me know what you think!


	2. Calculation

Hello everyone! Thank you so much to all whom favorited, followed, and reviewed. You are the reason I love to write. Please continue to enjoy the story. 3

Rated M for adult content

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Calculation

The first thing Sakura became aware of was a painful throbbing in her head. She stifled a soft groan as she slowly felt herself coming back into consciousness. Her head was pounding painfully and her entire body ached.

 _"What happened…?"_ Sakura questioned herself groggily, attempting to open her eyes. Her memory was vague and she had no idea where she was or why she was there. She lifted her heavy lashes, forcing her eyes open, and attempted to take in her surroundings.

Sakura's vision was fairly fuzzy but she could tell that she was lying on her side in what appeared to be a forest. It seemed to be around dusk, as large dark shadows were being cast on the ground in the rapidly fading light. It hurt to hold her eyes open so she let them fall shut, feeling exhausted.

 _"Why am I so damn tired?"_ Sakura thought agitatedly as she struggled to open her eyes again. Her eyelids felt like lead and it took conscious effort to even breathe.

" _Wait,"_ Sakura panicked. _"I can't move at all."_

She tried to lift her legs only to find that not only could she not maneuver them, she couldn't _feel_ them. Swallowing hard, Sakura tried to move her hands, only to find that the most she could do was make her fingers twitch. She was lying on her right side with her arms bound behind her back with simple rope, the course fibers rubbing uncomfortably against her skin.

 _"I don't understand, what the hell is happening?"_ Sakura seethed as she lied on the cold ground, darkness steadily creeping up on her. Then she heard voices.

"You sure we can just leave the bitch there, un?"

Sakura's blood ran cold as she recognized the voice coming from beyond her vision.

 _"Deidara…"_ she inwardly gasped. Then all of the memories of her last battle came rushing back to her. She remembered staring into Itachi's endless, blood-red eyes, Deidara crushing her knee, and…and

" _Sasori injected something in my neck!"_ Sakura realized, beginning to understand why she couldn't move. He had injected her with some sort of paralysis serum, restricting her movement completely.

 _"Well…."_ Sakura thought smugly as she twitched her fingers again, _"almost completely…"_

Sakura had trained her body to break down foreign substances and it seemed that she was beginning to rid herself of the paralysis injection. She was extremely grateful that her shishou had been sure to teach her the importance of a medical ninja's ability to negate unwanted particle within her body. Soon Sakura would have complete movement of her arms and, hopefully, her legs. It must have been particularly powerful to render the skilled kunoichi motionless, but then again this was Sasori she was talking about.

 _"Sasori…how in hells is he alive?"_ Sakura questioned, not understanding why he was there or why she was captured. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the sound of footsteps drawing near.

"Of course. The serum will keep her immobile for the rest of the journey. However, I brought extra just as a precaution," Sakura heard a silky voice drawl. She cracked one eye open just enough so she could see a sliver of the clearing she was in, making sure that her movements as subtle as possible. She saw three figures enter and stand about ten feet away from her, their black cloaks swirling behind them as they went. Sakura quickly identified them as Sasori of the Sand, Deidara of the Stone, and Itachi of the Leaf. She swallowed and hoped they still thought that she was unconscious.

"Tch, good. Don't want the damn girl waking up any time soon, un," she heard Deidara say spitefully.

"I warned you not to underestimate her, and you didn't heed me. You are far too reckless. I'm not healing your arm for you because you were too childish to listen," Sasori replied smoothly.

Deidara turned to his shorter superior and huffed. "I don't need you to heal me," he growled, clearly irritated.

"Then have fun using that broken arm, boy," Sasori retorted, sounding endlessly bored. While the two unconventional artists argued, Itachi remained silent and stared intently at Sakura. She could feel his gaze and slowly shut her cracked eye as to not raise suspicion. Sakura attempted to slow her breathing so it appeared that she was still unconscious. She also tried to even out her heart beat so that Itachi wouldn't suspect anything just leave her be, however she would had no such luck.

"She is awake," she heard him say softly and inwardly cursed.

"What?" Sasori growled lowly. "She should not be conscious for at least another day."

Itachi shrugged and simply replied, "Then check."

 _"Fuck!"_ Sakura inwardly screeched. She heard Sasori begin to walk towards her and she flashed open her eyes. She tested her movement and found that she could partially move her left arm and left leg. " _I need more time!"_ she thought desperately.

She looked up at Sasori and glared at him, curling her lips up in a slight snarl.

"What do you want with me?" she spat out, surprising the red haired man standing over her. Her voice was hoarse but, to her relief, still sounded intimidating.

Sasori's hazel eyes widened slightly then went back to their usual placid state.

"You never cease to surprise me, little girl," he said softly, confusing Sakura. "You shouldn't even be awake, let alone be able to speak. You are quite the skilled medical ninja, without question. However, I already knew this and am well prepared to deal with you," Sasori said smoothly, pulling a vial out of his cloak.

Sakura watched, wide eyed, as Sasori slowly knelt down beside her.

"My man, is she awake?" she heard Deidara call from across the clearing.

"Not for long," Sasori replied coyly, gently grasping Sakura's chin so he could expose her neck. As his fingers slid along her skin Sakura tensed and summoned all of her strength, throwing a feeble kick at him with her left leg. Sasori released her chin and caught her by the ankle, pressing her leg towards her so that her knee was flush with her cheek. Sasori pinned her there, forcing her onto her back.

"You're determination is impressive, but don't make so light of me _little girl_ ," he breathed, bringing his face close to hers so that he stared into her wide, jade eyes. He then released her ankle and grabbed her roughly by the jaw, pressing her face into the cold ground. Her neck became completely exposed and Sasori raised his arm, preparing to inject her.

"Don't!" Sakura threatened just as Sasori's hand swung down, jabbing her neck with the paralyzing drugs.

She felt Sasori's hand leave her jaw, his fingers trailing along her skin as he went. He gave a satisfied chuckle as Sakura's eyes fluttered shut as she lost consciousness once again.

Sakura drifted in and out of consciousness for quite some time after that. Her memory was extremely hazy, but she could still sense that she was moving. She would wake every so often to feel wind rushing past her and her body jolting as something carried her. Her eyes felt too heavy to open but a few times she could hear voices that she couldn't quite distinguish through the wind.

The event that was clearest in her memory was when she had forced her eyes to flutter open so she could see what was carrying her. Her vision was extremely obscure but she could see that someone was holding her against their chest.

Groggily, she realized that she was being transported bridle style as her carrier leapt through the trees. She could feel someone's hands supporting her back and legs, even in her partially numb state. She slowly lifted her half-lidded, emerald eyes to look upon the person holding her. In her drug induced state all she could see was black hair, pale skin, and crimson eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…?" she mumbled, her speech slightly slurred. She felt the person's grip on her tighten, and then her head rolled back onto her carrier's arm as she drifted into darkness once again.

….

Sakura awoke with a shiver, her body wracked with cold. Her eyes cracked open and this time they stayed open with the effects of the drugs finally wearing off. Sakura was once again lying on her side with her hands bound tightly behind her back. The ropes rubbed her skin roughly as she struggled to maneuver her wrists out of their binds. She attempted to shift her legs only to find that they were bound too. The pink haired kunoichi looked down to examine her body and her eyes widened in horror. Her right knee was an ugly, deep purple color and unbelievably swollen. As Sakura began to regain her senses and her dumbness wore off a searing pain slowly spread from her knee and throughout her legs.

"Ahh…" Sakura gasped quietly as the pain slowly but steadily intensified.

 _"Gods, I think my knee cap is broken,"_ Sakura lamented inwardly. She remembered Deidara crushing it before Sasori injected her and gave an angry growl. As she attempted to even out her breathing, her side began to have the same searing pain as her leg.

" _Shit, my ribs too…"_ Sakura swore, gritting her teeth against the pain.

As she lied on the ground she attempted to pool chakra to her broken bones only to find that she had no chakra at all.

 _"Did those bastards drain my chakra too?!"_ Sakura seethed as the pain in her ribs and knee continued to intensify. She then bit her lip and attempted to stifle a moan as she shifted her body so that she was sitting up. She looked down at herself through the dim light and discovered that she was absolutely filthy. Her body was covered in small cuts and bruises, not to mention a layer of dirt. Sighing, Sakura raised her gaze off of her self and scanned the room she was confined in.

 _"This can't even be qualified as a room,"_ Sakura thought credulously. She appeared to be inside of a small man made cave, with the entirety of the structure being roughly hewn out of stone. Looking around she noted that there were no windows, furniture, nor flooring. It was an empty, shadowy, stone room, save for a candle on the wall and an iron door. The space was incredibly dark, the only light coming form the small, flickering candle by the door. Sakura couldn't even see the corner opposite her because it was too shrouded in darkness.

Sakura was resting her back on the wall furthest from the door, which couldn't have been more than eight feet away. Looking up, she saw that the ceiling of the small cavern was barely taller than the door, probably seven feet up from the floor.

 _"Did they just shove me in a closet?"_ Sakura questioned sarcastically. Her thoughts were interrupted when a fresh wave of pain erupted from her broken knee when she shifted her legs. She hissed and laid her head back on the cold wall, panting. She needed to heal her knee…soon.

"Are you in pain, kunoichi?"

Sakura gasped and whipped her head to the corner opposite her where a smooth voice had called, causing herself a painful headache. She hadn't even noticed the presence of another person in the room due to her lack of chakra. She squinted her gaze and in the dim light she could see the flame of the candle reflecting in crimson eyes.

 _"Itachi,"_ she growled inwardly, narrowing her glittering, jade eyes..

Sakura swallowed and averted her gaze, refusing to speak to the man standing in the darkness. She tried to put on an emotionless face but she could feel herself sweating and her jaw clenched slightly as her broken knee continued to throb unbearably.

"Being stubborn will get you nothing, kunoichi," she heard him say coolly.

Sakura wanted to continue to ignore him but she knew that she couldn't leave her broken ribs and knee alone forever. If left unattended for too long they could mend improperly or get infected, which would make healing them much more difficult. Also, one of her cracked ribs might puncture her lung, and that was a situation Sakura would much rather avoid.

"I need to heal," Sakura ground out finally, still refusing to look in his direction. Swallowing her pride was one of the most difficult things to do for the young girl, but she knew she needed to put her health first.

"Heal what?" he asked quietly, still not emerging from the darkened corner.

Sakura huffed irritably and growled, "My knee and several of my ribs are broken."

As if to accentuate her statement her ribs emitted a searing pain, making Sakura gasp as she finished her sentence. Her body was exhausted from a lack of chakra and the constant pain from her side was making it increasingly difficult to breathe properly.

"I will alert Sasori when he has completed his current task," Itachi responded, his voice still holding no emotion.

"I don't need Sasori," Sakura spat. "I can heal myself…I just need chakra," she finished, her voice wavering slightly as her side stung each time she inhaled.

"I'm afraid I cannot oblige you," he replied frankly.

Sakura screwed her eyes shut and rested her head back against the wall.

 _"Of course they won't let me have any chakra…"_ Sakura thought angrily. It wasn't like she could escape in this condition. Finally, after sitting in silence with nothing to think of but the pain of her broken bones Sakura swallowed and spoke.

"Where am I? Why am I here?" she asked pointedly, still refusing to look in the Uchiha's direction.

"You may look at me kunoichi. It would be pointless to cast a genjustsu on you," he replied, ignoring her questions completely. Sakura's lip curled up in a sneer and she smiled grimly.

"I don't care about that. I just don't want to see you, _traitor,_ "she replied venomously, her voice dripping with disdain. Itachi sat in silence for a moment then rose and slowly walked towards her. Sakura swallowed as he drew closer and closer to her, still refusing to look at him.

 _"Did I go to far? I'm really not in a situation to be talking so recklessly,"_ Sakura worried as Itachi stopped a few inches away from her. She felt Itachi kneel down next to her, his cloak brushing against her bound legs. Sakura half expected him to strike her but instead he gently touched her broken knee. Sakura hissed and bit back a groan as his finger lightly grazed her swollen leg.

She whipped her head to look at him and gave him her most hate filled glare. Ignoring her, Itachi then lightly prodded her left side, right on her cracked ribs. Sakura's jaw clenched painfully but she refused to make any noise as he inspected her.

"These wounds will become problematic. I will alert Sasori soon and he will mend them," Itachi said flatly. "I apologize, I did not intended to injure your side so extensively," he said, rising from his position on the floor. In the dim light of the small cave Itachi's red eyes gleamed eerily as he looked down on the young girl before him.

Sakura made a sound of disdain and looked up at him, her eyes full of hate. "Don't take me so lightly," she growled lowly.

Itachi said nothing and turned, his cloak flapping behind him as he went. He exited the cave silently, the large iron door making no sound as he shut it. Sakura was then left alone in the small, dark cave with nothing but her thoughts and her pain.

Sakura had no idea how much time had passed but it felt like an eternity. Her whole body ached and her arms and legs had become numb from being in the same position for so long. She had nothing to do but look around the small shadowy room and examine her injuries. The kunoichi could not sleep due to her physical state and the cold stone floor didn't make for an inviting bed.

As the hours passed Sakura started to analyze why the Akatsuki would want to capture her. _"I'm from a civilian family so it certainly isn't money. I'm also the pupil of the Hokage, but she wouldn't risk the village for my return."_ Sakura thought, her brow furrowing. " _Sasori is alive apparently, so it isn't for my medical skills…could it be-"_ Sakura's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the heavy metal door swung open and the very man she had just been thinking of sauntered in. All of his movements were strangely graceful and his boyish face made for a very deceiving picture. Sakura knew, however, how much danger was hidden beneath his youthful façade.

He strode towards her, a small, sadistic smile gracing his lips.

"Hello little girl, " he cooed. "I heard you are in quite a bit of pain and require medical attention. This must be hard for you, having to rely on others to heal you," Sasori finished, cocking his head sarcastically to the side. Sakura remained silent and simply glared at the red haired man, her anger rolling off of her in silent waves.

"Oh, could it be you don't want my help? I won't waste my time here if you aren't going to cooperate," he said plainly, raising one crimson eyebrow.

"Just give me some chakra and you won't have to worry about it," Sakura croaked, her throat and lips dry from lack of hydration. Even though she was clearly exhausted a spark of anger could still be found in her voice. At this Sasori gave a small frown.

"Have they not been watering you, girl?" he questioned, his hips cocking to one side.

"Don't speak of me as if I were a dog!" Sakura growled, her hoarse voice cracking as her anger began to bubble up. Sasori looked at her for a moment then shook his head softly.

"I would not do such a thing. I do have respect for you, girl. You are quite skilled for your age and your medical ninjtsu is exceptional," he said quietly as he looked down at her. Sakura eyes widened in surprise and her mouth hung open a bit before she promptly shut it.

 _"That…is not what I expected,"_ she thought perplexedly as she looked at him through her long, dark lashes. _"Did our battle together have the same effect on him as it did for me?"_ she questioned. The confused kunoichi watched as Sasori turned and exited the room, only to soon return with a small, metal cup. Sakura pressed her back against the wall defensively as he slowly knelt down beside her. He raised the cup and gave it a small shake.

"It's water. You need to drink it. I don't wish to hear your rasping voice any longer," Sasori commanded pointedly. Sakura looked at him credulously and didn't move.

"If I wanted to kill you don't you think you'd already be dead? Now how long are going to make me wait, girl? Sasori asked impatiently. Sakura swallowed, feeling how dry her throat truly was. Sakura inwardly groaned and attempted to stifle her ego.

"My hands are tied, how am I su-" Sasori interrupted her and grasped her chin then pressed the cup to her lips. Sakura reluctantly obeyed him and slowly began to drink. The cold water felt amazing on her terribly parched lips and throat. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of the refreshing liquid, doubting she would get more anytime soon. After a few moments the cup was empty and Sasori released her chin. A small bit of water had escaped the bound kunoichi's mouth and Sasori absentmindedly wiped it from her face with his thumb, his Akatsuki ring brushing lightly against her skin.

Sakura sat back and watched him credulously as he studied her bound legs.

 _"Why are they making sure I'm kept in decent health? What do the Akatsuki want with me?_ Sakura pondered.

"Can you move your leg at all?" Sasori asked, interrupting her thoughts. He was looking at her with a face of complete boredom, save for the slight furrowing of his brow.

Sakura took a deep breath and looked down at her discolored knee.

 _"My knee really needs tending to…and if they won't let me do it myself…I really should let Sasori mend it if he's willing. I can't let my pride get in the way right now,"_ she reasoned with herself.

"Don't keep me waiting," Sasori huffed irritably.

"No, I can't. I'm fairly certain my knee cap is broken but without chakra I can't confirm that," Sakura said finally, raising her emerald eyes to meet his. He held her gaze for a moment before averting it back to her legs.

"Tch, that boy. This was unnecessary. So reckless…"Sasori said quietly, more to himself than to Sakura. She eyed him for a moment then her eyes darted to his hand when she saw chakra pooling in his palm. The green light cast strange shadows on the puppet master's face and illuminated his hazel eyes and crimson hair. Sakura tensed her body and clenched her jaw, still extremely on edge around the dangerous Akatsuki member. Sasori noticed this, flicking his gave to her face and then back to her knee.

"This may take a moment. Don't squirm," he said flatly as he pressed his hand to her leg. Immediately a burning sensation erupted from her knee, causing Sakura to inhale sharply. Sasori then raised his gaze, looking at her face as he worked. Sakura gritted her teeth as she felt her bones and tendons breaking, rearranging, and mending within her leg.

 _"I refuse to show weakness in front of this man,"_ Sakura inwardly growled, straightening her back and wiping her pained expression off her face. Sasori gave a small smirk, as if sensing her determination, and refocused his attention on her knee. Sakura's breathing became steadier as the cooling sensation of Sasori's chakra slowly replaced the burning pain that she had been feeling constantly since her capture.

After a few minutes Sasori could completely rest his hand on her leg without Sakura feeling too much discomfort. Sakura let out a small, involuntary sigh when Sasori finally raised his palm and her knee was healed at last. Sasori knelt there for a moment longer, studying her face with an unreadable expression and then swiftly stood.

"Your leg should be fine now. We will be leaving tomorrow and I will sedate you again. This will be the last time we will be traveling for some time. Don't fight it, it will only make it more cumbersome for the both of us," Sasori said dryly as he stood over her.

"That's unnecessary. I can't even break these restraints without chakra so I can't escape," Sakura replied bitterly, hating being so powerless.

"Mm, perhaps. However, I am not taking any chances. You should be flattered, little girl," Sasori retorted smoothly. To be honest, Sakura was surprised that the Akatsuki were taking such precautions as to keep her complexly drained and immobile. However, that didn't infuriate her any less.

As Sasori turned to leave Sakura cleared her throat.

"Ah, um…my ribs are broken too. It…will probably unsafe for me to travel because they may puncture a lung…" Sakura trailed off quietly, feeling a bit pathetic having to ask her sworn enemy for assistance. If she had chakra it would be another story entirely, and he knew that.

Sasori looked back at her and sighed. "My chakra is low. I'll heal them before we depart," he replied curtly then turned to leave. Sakura furrowed her brow and looked at him quizidly. That little bit of medical ninjutsu should have in no way left him so drained.

"Why are your chakra reserves so low?" Sakura asked quietly, her voiced laced with suspicion. The two ninjas stared at each other before Sasori finally spoke.

"…That's none of your concern," he said quietly after a long pause, his eyes never leaving hers. He then swiftly turned and exited the small cave without another word. As Sasori exited his words left Sakura with a strange sense of foreboding. She then felt a terrible pang of loneliness as she was once again left alone and cold in the darkness. She missed her parents, her bed, and her sensei. Most of all she missed her teammate.

"Naruto…" Sakura whispered quietly into the darkness.

…

That night proved fitful for Sakura, as she couldn't stop thinking about what the Akatsuki might want with her.

 _"I need to escape before they can do anything with me. I can't let myself become a liability to me village!"_ she decided, her stomach twisting with anxiety. She lied on the cold, stone floor and attempted to wriggle out of her bindings. After hours of endless struggling Sakura finally slipped her wrists free, aided by the blood that had begun to leak out onto her hands. The ropes had rubbed her wrists raw, but she was free.

 _"Well, my hands at least,"_ Sakura thought bitterly. She wiped the blood off on her skirt and then went to unbind her ankles. As she untied the knot she couldn't help but inspect her knee. As expected, Sasori did a perfect job. Her skin had returned back to its porcelain color and there was no soreness or redness.

 _"He really is amazing. He healed such a complicated injury with no difficulties, and so quickly too. Maybe under different circumstances he could have taught me some of what he knows,"_ Sakura thought, almost wistfully.

" _However, I don't have time to dwell on that. I need to escape,"_ Sakura thought, clenching her jaw in determination. Finally, she was free from the ropes.

Sakura stood on shaky legs, still slightly numb after being tied in the same position for so long. She stretched her muscles and massaged her shoulders, relieved to finally be able to move freely.

 _"Okay, now to find how they are taking all of my chakra,"_ Sakura decided. She began inspecting her body for a seal, only to discover dirt and grime. Frustrated, Sakura gave up looking and crossed her arms.

" _If it isn't a seal, how are they stealing my chakra? I don't understand…"_ Sakura puzzled to herself. She then began to wrack her brain for information as to how the dangerous terrorists might be suppressing her energy. After a few minutes of concentration an idea finally struck Sakura.

 _"Kisame of the Hidden Mist! His sword has the ability to feed on people's chakra. That must mean he's been here recently if he was able to drain me completely. Well, if it isn't seal then that means my chakra will replenish eventually,"_ Sakura thought to herself triumphantly. _"I might be able to escape, but I shouldn't be reckless. The most opportune time will be to run when we are traveling. I'll store up enough chakra to negate Sasori's sedative and make a break for it..."_ she planned, pacing around the small room as she thought.

With a sigh she looked back at the ropes. She would have to put them back on so she didn't arouse too much suspicion. Sakura stretched for a few more minutes then sat back down on the stone floor and began retying the ropes around her ankles. She then shoved her hands back through the ropes as best she could. Sakura looked down at the blood on her skirt and frowned.

 _"They're going to wonder where that came from_ …" Sakura thought to herself, looking at the small red smear on the beige fabric. Sighing, she bit her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood and let it drip onto her skirt, covering the small stain. _"I'll tell them I bit my lip from stress if they ask,"_ she thought determinedly. She then took a deep breath and rested her back against the wall, relaxing completely. Sakura then began to gather the little chakra she had collected and pooled it into the center of her forehead.

Sakura had been doing this for the past two years, constantly honing her chakra controlling skills. This took extreme amounts of concentration and precise control. Two things the blossom haired kunoichi excelled at.

 _"I can't store too much chakra or they may become suspicious,"_ Sakura reminded herself. _"It's best to store up just enough for a short battle and quickly mask it. I can't let them find me out…"_

For the rest of the night Sakura busied herself with meditating and slowly storing up the necessary chakra for her plan. Only when she felt that she had the perfect amount did she allow herself to sleep. She slouched over in the corner of the cave, getting as comfortable as she could against the stone wall and let her eyes fall shut.

Sakura awoke with a start when she sensed someone drawing close to the door. She immediately identified them as Sasori and took a deep breath.

 _"It's time,"_ she told herself as the door handle turned then swung open as the red haired Akatsuki member walked in.

To Sakura's surprise Sasori was once again holding a small metal cup, much like the one he had the night before. He knelt down beside her and indicated with a jerk of his head that he wanted Sakura to drink. She slowly leaned forwards and obliged him, the cool water feeling wonderful as it passed her lips. Sasori watched Sakura while she drank with his usual bored expression. When she was finished she sat back, feeling strangely awkward.

"On which side are your ribs cracked?" Sasori asked, breaking the bizarre silence.

"Oh, on the left," Sakura said quickly, and she maneuvered slightly to the side as best she could to allow him better access.

 _"That's right, he said he would heal me before we left. For some reason I didn't think he actually would,"_ Sakura pondered to herself as she watched Sasori lean in closer to her. His face was just inches from her shoulder, his long bangs threatening to brush against her skin. Sakura began to feel extremely anxious being in such close proximity to the man that had nearly killed her. She involuntarily squirmed away just a bit as Sasori began to lean in, earning a huff from the Sand nin.

"Stop wiggling. If anyone should want to move away, little girl, it should be me. You need to bathe," he said monotonously, slightly wrinkling his nose. An angry blush erupted across Sakura's cheeks and she stuttered, completely caught off guard.

"I, I…well you won't even untie me, let alone let me leave this room to take a bath!" she retorted angrily. Sasori looked at her with a raised eyebrow and huffed. Sakura gave and angry huff herself and turned her face away from him, attempting to hide her blush.

"Bastard…"she mumbled under her breath, earning a curt snort from the man beside her. She then felt his hand hover over her side and the familiar yet uncomfortable sensation of healing chakra began to flood throughout her chest. Sakura let her head fall back against the wall and closed her eyes, indulging in the bittersweet sensation of having her ribs repaired. Suddenly the door opened with a loud clang and Sasori pulled away before finishing, leaving her ribs only partially mended.

Sakura whipped her head around to see who had entered, frustrated that they had interrupted her healing. When she saw whom it was her mouth went dry and she began to panic.

"Kisame, could you be any louder if you tried?" Sasori asked irritably as he starred at the large, blue man standing before him.

"Sorry, was I interrupting something?" Kisame asked with a sharp-toothed smile, his right hand gripping the handle of his massive sword.

"As a matter of fact, yes. I was in the middle of healing her so I could sedate her," Sasori replied, completely unaffected by the Mist nin's innuendo.

While the two men were chatting Sakura was erratically forming a new plan.

 _"Of course they would want to drain my chakra again! Damn it, I should have thought about this…I'll have to escape before he can drain me…which means right now,"_

Sakura's adrenaline began flowing and her heart started to pound as Sasori turned back to face her. In his hand was the sedative.

Sakura swallowed hard and steadied herself. _"Okay, I know what I need to do,"_

"Okay, as I said before, I am going to sedate you. This will be the last time so don't fight it. It will only be more troublesome for the both of us," Sasori stated, his face still showing no emotion. Sakura gave a curt nod and prepared herself. This was going to be tricky.

Sasori began to lean in, needle in hand, and Sakura took action. In an instant she forced her stored chakra into her arms and legs, then roughly threw her shoulder into Sasori's. Surprised, he fell backwards, and Sakura used her chakra-enhanced strength to rip free from her rope bindings. She then immediately pounced on Sasori, wrestling the needle out of his hand and in to hers. He swiftly punched her in her jaw, causing speckles of blood to fly from the young kunoichi's mouth.

Sakura ignored this and rolled off of Sasori, dodging a kick from Kisame as the large man joined in on the fight. Kisame was huge and powerful, but he wasn't quite as fast as Sakura. She took full advantage of this jumped around his punches with ease, getting closer and closer to him with each swing. In the small room the Mist nin couldn't wield his dangerous sword, much to Sakura's relief. She swiftly dodged a punch and grabbed Kisame's wrist. She twisted her grip and plunged the sedative directly into the crook of his arm. She sensed Sasori behind her and ducked, narrowly avoiding a kick from the crimson haired scorpion. Her side stung as her fractured ribs were jarred, but Sakura grit her teeth and fought on. She swallowed hard and pooled chakra into her fist as Sasori threw another kick at her. She slid under his leg and lunged towards the far wall of the stone room.

"Cha!" she screamed as she punched the stone, creating a huge, gaping hole in the wall. Wasting no time, Sakura made a run for it.

 _"I have to run and I need to be fast,"_ Sakura told herself, her heart pounding as she stepped out into a larger cave. Without looking around, she continued to run forwards at full force, readying herself for another punch. She could hear Kisame swearing from somewhere behind her and she sensed Sasori even closer than that. Sakura inhaled deeply and drew her fist backwards, then made a lunge towards the wall she was rapidly approaching. Her fist collided with the hard rock, cracking it all the way up to the ceiling.

 _"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"_ Sakura pleaded with the crumbling wall, kicking away rocks as the fell around her. _"Please hurry!"_

"Brat!" Sakura heard a vengeful growl behind her and swiftly jumped away, narrowly avoiding a ferocious kick from Sasori. Sakura refused to look back at him and ran out of the hole she created in the cavern as quickly as she could. She squinted her emerald eyes in the sudden glare of sunlight but didn't slow her pace. She could hear voices behind her and forced more chakra into her legs.

 _"Oh gods, I need to go! I have to outrun them!"_ Sakura screamed to herself as she darted into a forest, her feet flying. As she leapt from tree to tree, she allowed herself to look back and see who was following her. To her surprise, Sasori was no longer tailing her and Kisame wasn't anywhere to be found. Not pausing to ponder this, Sakura continued to run with all her might. She turned her head back around to double check for pursuers and was immediately met with crimson eyes. Sakura gasped and attempted to stop on the branch she was on as Itachi Uchiha appeared before her. However, she hit the branch too hard and tumbled forwards and plummeted towards the ground. As she fell Itachi jumped and grabbed her around her waist and neck. Then, in a swirl of crows Sakura was no longer on the forest but back in the cave she had fought so hard to escape.

Itachi roughly pushed Sakura to the ground, then pinned her arms behind her back. Her face rubbed painfully against the rocky floor as she continued to struggle against Itachi, but he had her in a position where she could not strike him. His foot was pressed to the small of her back and he held both of her arms upwards, behind her.

"Stop struggling, kunoichi. I do not wish to break your arms," he said coolly.

"Fuck you!" Sakura growled, twisting her hands so that they grasped his wrists. She then attempted to crush his wrists between her fingers when someone grabbed her roughly by the hair. Distracted by the pain of her hairs being jerked from their roots, Sakura released her grip on Itachi and looked up to see an enraged Sasori. His mouth was clenched into a thin line, and his brows were only slightly furrowed, but his eyes held a sea of anger and contempt.

"I told you not to struggle, _little girl_ ," he quietly seethed, his burning gaze piercing into Sakura's wide, jade eyes.

"Told ya' you shouldn't have healed her, my man," Sakura heard Deidara call from somewhere behind her.

"Don't worry," Sasori replied smoothly, his gaze never leaving Sakura's. "I won't make the same mistake again." He then looked up to Itachi and nodded, releasing his grip on Sakura's hair. Sakura's heart began to pound as she realized what he was indicating. Itachi paused for a moment and let out a small sigh before twisting Sakura's right arm and jerking it out of its socket. Sakura bit her lip, holding in a scream as Itachi let her arm drop to the floor. She immediately sent healing chakra to the sight of the break, not caring if they saw.

"Bitch just doesn't stop," Deidara said coyly, walking into Sakura's vision.

"Just stop struggling and we won't have to hurt you," Itachi said softly as Sakura lay on the ground.

"I will never stop fighting! I will not let you use me!" Sakura shouted, her emerald flashing to meet the gazes of the three men standing over her. "You can capture me, torture me, tear me apart, I don't care! I will not let you bring harm to my village!" Sakura roared, panting as she continued to heal her torn arm. The three men were silent for a moment, all watching the strange pink haired girl on the floor before them. Sasori then sighed and knelt down beside her. He put his hand on her head and pressed her face into the ground.

"We will only be traveling one more time, so don't be troublesome. This will be over soon, so don't make more work for me," he said emotionlessly. Sasori then took yet another needle out of his cloak and stuck it in her neck.

Sakura tried to escape but Itachi had her in an iron grip. Soon, her body began to feel impossibly heavy. Her eyelids began to droop and she let her head rest against the floor.

 _"I need to escape…I have to go. Naruto needs me…but…I'm so tired. So…tired…"_

Sakura's thoughts then faded into blackness as she once again lost consciousness.

….

This chapter may have been a bit slow, but next chapter some action will start taking place. Itachi will play larger rolls as the chapters progress. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Feel free to leave reviews, shoot me ideas, or just tell me what you think!

Thank you!


	3. Confusion

Thank you to everyone who followed and favorited last chapter, I really appreciate it! Special thanks to priestessofeternity, Lily-on-the-water, lilith dracul , AnimeXHarem, CUPCAKE-L3VER, and Uchiha Misaki for reviewing, you guys are wonderful! Without further a due, please enjoy the chapter.

Rated M for adult and sexual content.

Confusion

Slowly, sluggishly, Sakura cracked open her eyes and attempted to adjust her focus, her eyesight still fuzzy from sleep. With a soft groan the kunoichi rolled over onto her back and blinked, her gaze still hazy from the fading effects of the drugs that had previously been injected into her. She gradually became aware of fabric rustling against her skin as she slowly writhed against it, stretching her body out after being incapacitated for so long. Suddenly the pink haired kunoichi snapped out of her sleepy stupor and quickly raised her hands to her face, inspecting them.

 _"Why am I not bound?"_ Sakura questioned with an anxious frown as she intently starred at her wrists, free of ropes or chains. She quickly sat up to find that her legs were also free of restraints, much to her confusion. Raising her gaze from her legs, Sakura looked around to take in her new surroundings.

She was sitting atop what appeared to be a queen sized bed adorned with nothing but dusty comforters, complete with tears scattered across the faded fabric. Her eyes moved from the bed to the room itself, looking for any means of escape or something to utilize as a weapon. The room was quite ordinary, the floors being simple wood paneling as well as the wall. The room itself was a decent size, actually a bit larger than Sakura's own bedroom back in Konaha. The space looked that much larger due to the fact that there was no other furniture other than the bed, excluding a large, dusty chest in the far corner. There were no windows, the only light coming from a lit oil lamp attached to the wall close to the door, which was to Sakura's far right. The bed she was currently sitting on was pressed against the far left wall, only accessibly from one side.

Cautiously, Sakura slipped off of the mattress, dust gently flying into the air as she did, its barely visible particles scattering about her as she slowly moved towards the door. No sound could be heard as she gingerly crossed the room, her feet padding silently across the cold floor. Her hand outstretched, the kunoichi guardedly gripped the door handle and gave it a slight tug.

 _"Of course it's locked,"_ Sakura grumbled, giving the door handle a few violent jiggles before releasing her grip. Sighing dejectedly, Sakura turned and examined the room from a new angle, still finding nothing of interest besides the decrepit chest in the corner. She curtly turned and quickly paced over to the trunk, bending down to inspect the rusty pad lock that secured the lid. Giving the lock a firm tug produced no result, so Sakura jerked on it violently, to no avail.

 _"This would be so much damn easier if I had my chakra,"_ Sakura thought angrily as she stood, giving the chest a frustrated kick. Sighing, she straightened her back and raised her arms above her head, stretching out her very sore spine and shoulders. She expected pain to emit from her cracked ribs, surprised when no sharp aches could be felt. Dropping her arms, Sakura gently prodded her sides with her fingers, searching for the fractures she had sustained from Itachi's kick in the courtyard. After a few gentle pokes Sakura upped the anti, pressing harder and harder on her ribs, still unable to cause herself any discomfort, let alone pain. Confused, she raised her arms and ran a hand through her tangled locks, furrowing her brow.

 _"I don't understand…did Sasori heal me?"_ Sakura pondered, her hands entangling in her hair. Sakura attempted to retract her fingers, only to find that her hands were ensnared in her dirty, oily hair. Grimacing, she finally managed to untangle herself from the rat's nest on top of her head, with no small amount of effort. Her fingers were covered in a light layer of oil, much to the kunoichi's disgust. Looking down at herself Sakura saw that she was still in her clothes from several days before, completely coated in blood, dirt, and sweat.

 _"Gods, I'm disgusting,"_ Sakura thought wretchedly, shaking her head in revulsion. Looking around, she saw that there was nothing much to do but sit on the bed and pool chakra into her forehead. Sakura dejectedly climbed onto the musty blankets, wrinkling her nose as she sent dust flying in every direction. Crossing her legs and resting her back against the wall, Sakura took a deep breath and slowly closed her sparkling jade eyes.

Focusing completely, Sakura began to meditate and control her chakra flow, what little she had, and began to circulate it throughout her body. After fully circulating it for a few moments, she began to channel her minute amount of chakra to the center of her forehead, breathing in deeply, slowly, concentrating to the fullest extent she could. She remained like that for a long while, having nothing else to do but sit there in silence. Suddenly her meditation was shattered when the door unlocked and swung open with a great creak, startling the kunoichi currently sitting on the bed.

Her eyes shot wide open, then narrowed when Deidara walked in, a sneer on his face.

"You're looking rough, hm," he scorned, slowing striding into the room, eyeing her with each step.

"Not as rough as that broken arm of yours, I'm willing to bet," Sakura snapped back, cocking her head to one side. Deidara's smile was immediately wiped from his face and he gave her a viscous snarl.

"Don't think I won't be paying you back for that, hm" he growled darkly, walking towards her so that he was just a few inches from the bed. Sakura stared back into his deep blue gaze, her anger bubbling up inside her.

"You crushed my knee, or did you forget?" she replied icily, inching backwards as much as she could.

Deidara sneered and gave a short, humorless laugh.

"Sasori healed you after a couple days, I don't call that even," he shot back coyly, leaning in closer to her, only to quickly recoil.

"How long has it been since you had a bath, hm?" he asked, wrinkling his nose in disgust. Sakura's mouth hung open, and she made a small squeak of disbelief.

"I don't know, you bastard! You freaks have had me tied up, _drugged,_ and thrown into locked rooms ever since you captured me! At what point was I supposed to bathe?" she asked credulously, her voice rising with anger. Deidara looked at her and snorted, then turned, his long blond hair swirling about him as he went.

"Well come on, no one wants to look at you like that anymore, hm," he called over his shoulder, beckoning with his unbroken arm for her to follow. Sakura remained on the bed, confused as to what was going on. Irritably, Deidara turned, putting a hand on his hip.

"You want a bath, don't you? Or maybe you enjoy looking like a pink rat, hm," he replied with a coy smile, looking oddly boyish. Sakura's eyes widened as it dawned on her that she was being offered a chance to clean herself, so she quickly, if suspiciously, got off of the bed. After a few cautious steps Sakura stopped just before Deidara, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. He stared her down before jerking his head to the side and turning, telling her to follow him.

"Don't try anything, or you'll regret it," he warned her as he walked out of the room and into a long wooden hallway. Sakura would have argued that he only had one arm but then she remembered that Deidara had taken on the entirety of team Gai with only a kunai in his mouth. Plus she really wanted a bath.

Instead of fighting with the blond, Sakura focused her attention on studying her surroundings. The two were walking down a hallway that had four doors, two on each side. The floors and walls were the same wood paneling as the room she had been in, devoid of windows, and the ceiling was plain beige. She turned her head over her shoulder to glance behind her, trying to see where the other side of the hallway lead, but it made a right turner, cutting off her vision.

"We're here," Deidara said flatly as he stopped, causing Sakura to almost bump into him. He turned and raised an eyebrow before nodding towards a closed brown door at the end of the hallway.

"This is the bathroom, it has a shower and a tub, though in your case I'd recommend the shower, hm," he said with a smirk, causing the pink haired kunoichi to roll her eyes. Smiling, he continued, "You have thirty minuets, and there is a change of clothes inside. Be ready in exactly thirty minuets because someone _will_ be coming in to get you, hm." Deidara eyed her, his voice dropping low as he emphasized that she absolutely did not need to keep them waiting. Sakura nodded curtly and reached for the door, opening it and stepping in. Before she closed it Deidara spoke.

"There should be soaps in there, so use them. For our safety, hm," Deidara instructed, grinning mischievously.

"Oh, did you leave enough conditioner for the rest of us?" Sakura replied coyly, leaning against the doorframe. Deidra's grin turned into a sulking frown, reminded her of a pouting child. Making a small sound of satisfaction, she closed the door, but not before hearing a soft laugh.

After the door clicked closed, Sakura looked around the bathroom, amazed that she was actually being given the chance to use one. The walls were a light, faded teal, the tiles on the floors were dark, dingy blue, complete with cracks and dust. There was a toilet in the far right corner, right beside a counter top fitted with a dingy white sink. On the opposite end of the surprisingly expansive room was a large wooden tub seated next to a small glass shower, the door covered in musty water stains.

 _"When was the last time this room was used, let alone cleaned?"_ Sakura thought to herself as she strode towards the far corner of the room. She noticed a small pile of clothing next to the shower and bent down to inspect them, finding a dark blue shirt and black pants, accompanied by a roll of bindings. Sakura's eyes widened as she slowly reached for the roll of bandages, her mind racing.

 _"Did they just assume I wore bindings or did they…?"_ She then quickly stood and unzipped her red, soiled shirt, throwing it onto the grimy floor. Her heart racing, she looked down at her chest, her breath hitching in her throat. Wrapped around her chest were pure white bandages, free of cuts or dirt.

Her bindings had been changed.

 _"When did they…and who…what the hell?"_ Sakura seethed, heat flooding throughout her face as a violent blush sprang up. After standing still for a few moments she remembered that she was on a time constraint, and quickly unstrapped her boots, attempting to forget that someone in the Akatsuki had seen her half naked. Kicking them off to the side, she then unbuckled her skirt and tugged off her shorts, sending them into the same pile as her discarded shoes. Finally, she took off her bindings and headband, leaving her wearing nothing but a layer of grime.

Still feeling anxious, Sakura pried open the murky shower door and turned the handle, waiting for clean, hot water to begin flowing. After steam began to fill the room, the young kunoichi finally entered, the sudden rush of hot water sending wonderful shivers down her spine. She simply stood there for a moment, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she savored the feel of the steamy liquid cascading down her body.

Opening her eyes, she looked around to find a few bottles of soap, shampoos, as well as a rag sitting on a small shelf. Grabbing the cloth, she quickly made work of scrubbing all of the dirt, blood, sweat, and other unwanted substances from her body. As she finished she grabbed a bottle of shampoo and poured it into her palm, the cool liquid oozing into a small pool, some trickling between her fingers. Raising her hands she then slowly began to lather her tangled pink locks, working her fingers through the grime. It took several washes but Sakura was finally able to feel clean again.

Turning off the water with a loud squeak of the faucet, Sakura stepped out and grabbed a towel that was draped over the nearby tub. Drying herself off with a soft sigh, Sakura couldn't help but feel conflicted about her situation.

" _I don't understand…why do I feel so relaxed? They're just letting me bathe, unwatched…it almost feels like a normal situation. I need to find out why I'm being held here. I have to escape,"_ Sakura decided, clenching her fist in the towel with determination.

With a small sigh, she walked over to the clothes she had been provided and grabbed the roll of bindings, wrapping them around her chest, making sure that it was tight. She sifted through the clothes again and grimaced, realizing that she had not been given underwear. Huffing, she stood and wrapped her bindings around her waist too, refusing to wear nothing but pants. She then pulled the blue shirt over her head, followed by tugging on the black pants. Both were a bit loose on her, obviously having been made for a man.

After dressing, Sakura grabbed her filthy ninja gear and walked over to the sink, turning on the faucet. Scrubbing furiously, she attempted to scour her clothes of filth, which proved to be quite a difficult task. As she washed them, she happened to look up and catch a look at herself in the dusty mirror. Pausing, she used her palm to wipe a clean streak through the mirror, looking at her reflection.

She had a bruise on her cheek, accompanied by a few cuts, but overall she looked pretty normal. Her eyes roamed from her face to her neck, then her arm caught her attention. The wound from Naruto's kyubii form had still not completely healed. Her fingertips touched the scar gingerly, grazing over the slightly raised flesh.

"Naruto…" she whispered softly, her eyes suddenly welling up with tears. A few spilled over, causing Sakura to swear as she quickly wiped them from her face. Still, they continued to softly trickle down her cheeks as loneliness and fear finally caught up with her, causing a painful feeling to grow in her gut. Suddenly the door swung open as a tall-cloaked man walked in.

Sakura turned her head, rubbing her face into the cloth of her shirt, trying to hide her small emotional breakdown. Clearing her throat, she turned back to face the man who walked in.

"Kisame," she said curtly, straightening her back.

"Hello, princess," the tall man replied mockingly, showing a toothy grin. "It's time to go back, follow me," he instructed, not waiting for a reply as he began to exit the room. Sakura quickly wrung out her clothes in the sink and followed, slightly irritated that the Akatsuki thought she couldn't find her way back on her own. When they reached her door, Kisame opened it and, with an exaggerated wave of his arm, offered Sakura passage.

"Here we are, princess," he remarked coyly, his strange gaze never leaving Sakura's.

"Oh, you're such a gentleman," Sakura remarked sarcastically as she strode past him and into the room.

"Someone will bring you food shortly," the Mist nin informed her as he closed the door, never losing his sharp-toothed smile. Sakura heard the door lock and Kisame's steps slowly fade away into silence. Her stomach growled at the mere mention of food, and Sakura realized she couldn't have eaten for at least a couple days.

 _"I'm sure that's another reason why I'm so exhausted. That drug kept me from feeling hunger, but now…"_ Another loud growl interrupted her thought's, causing a slight blush to rise on Sakura's cheeks. Sighing for what felt like the hundredth time since her capture, she sat on the bed and put her head in her hands.

 _"I will leave this place,"_ Sakura inwardly growled after a moment, sitting up with determination. She then stretched and sat back against the wall, beginning her routine of pooling her remaining chakra into her forehead. She sat like that for a while before she sensed someone at the door. She opened her eyes and rearranged her position as a cloaked man walked in with a small tray.

"Dinner, kunoichi," a smooth voice called to her. Sakura raised her emerald eyes to meet Itachi's as he closed the door behind him and silently strode towards her, looking much like a jungle cat in the soundless, graceful way he moved. When her eyes met his she was surprised to see that his sharringhan was not activated. Instead his irises were a deep onyx, looking like endless, black seas that could engulf you and swallow you whole. She swallowed thickly and slowly slid off of her bed, gingerly reaching for the tray Itachi was offering her. His eyes never left her as she took it from his hand and slowly sat back down onto the bed. Averting her gaze from his to the food Sakura was amazed to see three rice balls and a small portion of sashimi. Unable to hide her surprise, Sakura looked up at Itachi, a look of slight awe on her face.

"Did _you_ prepare this?" she asked credulously, not believing the Uchiha assassin could cook. Not bothering to answer her, the dark haired man simply turned and silently walked across the room and sat down on the chest, resting his back against the wall.

"Eat," he instructed simply, his velvety voice a strange mixture of quiet, calming, and threatening. Sakura looked away from him and huffed irritably, not really wanting to have him stare her down as she ate as if she were an animal on display. She reached for the rice ball and slowly raised it up to her mouth, inspecting it harshly.

"It is not poisoned, kunoichi," Itachi said to her, sounding almost amused at the way she was starring and sniffing at the small oniguri. Sakura cast him a harsh glare and suppressed a blush as her stomach gave a large growl.

 _"Beggars can't be choosers,"_ she reminded herself as she took a tentative bite, gently munching the rich before swallowing. As soon as the food hit her tongue, Sakura's eyes lit up, and she quickly took another bite, then another.

 _"This is so good!"_ she thought to herself in disbelief as she ate rather ravenously, delving onto the sashimi as well as the flavorful rice balls. She almost completely forgot Itachi was there until her food was nearly gone until he gave a small cough, muffled by his hand. Sakura immediately stopped eating and looked over at him, her eyes narrowed.

He choked down another cough, attempting to stifle the sound with his hand as to look nonchalant, but Sakura wasn't fooled. She slowly put her chopsticks down, her analytical gaze never wavering from Itachi. He caught her eyes and quickly looked away, pulling his hand away from his lips as if nothing had happened. However, he failed to wipe away a small trickle of blood that had leaked out of the corner of his mouth.

"Uchiha-san, your lungs…" Sakura began softly before she stopped herself. She didn't need to be speaking to an Akatsuki member, a traitor to her village and a known terrorist. However, her medical senses had kicked in and she hadn't been able to stop herself from saying something. Itachi cleared his throat and looked up at her.

"It is nothing. Don't concern yourself with it," he replied smoothly as he ran his thumb across the small droplet of blood, as if nothing of importance had just occurred. Sakura looked away and made a small sound of distaste.

"I'm _not_ concerning myself with the likes of you," she bit back, her voice low as she refused to look in his direction. Itachi gave an almost inaudible sigh and stood, silently gliding towards the door, almost as if he were a phantom. Before opening it he stopped and turned, addressing the pink haired girl currently refusing to meet his eyes.

"Kisame will come in each night to drain you of your chakra. If you comply and don't struggle, you will be allowed to freely roam this compound. Just know that at least two people will always be here to watch you, so dash any thoughts of escape now. They will only result in injury and a revocation of your privileges. You will be checked for weapons every night before you are allowed to sleep," Itachi informed her, his voice low and smooth as he spoke. Sakura waited until he had finished and curtly nodded, having nothing else to say to him. After a moment Sakura heard the door lock, and she knew Itachi was gone. Flopping backwards on to the bed, Sakura let her mind race.

 _"I don't understand, why are they keeping me here? I'm just being allowed to walk around after tonight? Maybe I should postpone my attempts to escape and use this time to gather intel on the Akatsuki. I need to find out what it is they want,"_ Sakura thought to herself as she stared up at the ceiling, eyes shining with determination. After a few minutes of simply lying on the bed, the kunoichi began to feel restless.

" _I guess I should get some sleep…I've nothing else to do until morning anyways."_ She then rolled off of the bed and grabbed the blankets, tugging them off in a flurry of dust.

Wrinkling her nose, Sakura shook out the coverings, not really wanting to sleep on such musty bedding. After a few minutes and a plethora of dust, Sakura remade the bed, a little more satisfied with her sleeping arrangements. Slipping in between the freshly made covers and cocooning herself in, Sakura allowed herself to relax, reveling in the feel of lying on top of an actual mattress.

 _"I'll be home soon…I miss you mom, dad, Kakashi Sensei, Naruto. Don't worry…I'll be home soon"_ With those warm, comforting thoughts still fresh in her mind, Sakura slowly closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall into slumber.

….

She awoke slowly, eyes still heavy with sleep. After a few moments of stretching Sakura rolled out of the bed and her feet landed softly on the floor, the cold, smooth texture jolting her awake. Raising her hands above her head, she stretched again, feeling much like a cat as she slowly strained her muscles. As she finished, Sakura eyed the door, suddenly feeling quite anxious.

 _"I wonder if it really is unlocked…"_ she speculated, running her fingers through her hair, attempting to untangle her bed head. Finally tugging her tangles loose, Sakura slowly and suspiciously made her way over to the door. As she grasped the handle her heart began to hammer, and she wasn't really sure why. Gripping the knob, she turned it slowly then gave the door a slight push. To her surprise, the door creaked open.

 _"He wasn't kidding. They really are letting me walk around,"_ Sakura thought in slight amazement as she tentatively stepped out into the hallway. She stood there for a few minutes, not really sure as to what to do now that she had a little freedom. Her stomach gaze a soft rumble that seemed to echo throughout the empty hall, answering her unspoken questions.

 _"I guess I could look for something to eat,"_ she decided, taking a left out of the door, the opposite direction Kisame and Deidara had taken her to the bath. After a few twists and turns and a bit of back tracking Sakura found herself in a fairly large kitchen, complete with appliances and an island.

 _"This house is so well furnished, yet it looks abandoned. What is this place?"_ she wondered to herself as she slowly circled the kitchen, taking every detail in. This room appeared to be more recently cleaned than the bathroom or her bedroom, having a much thinner coat of dust and debris. Sakura blew some dust off of a counter top and reached for the fridge handle and pulled, surprised to find that the appliance was actually functional. Peering inside, she saw small portions of food, water bottles and, of course, a thin layer of dust. There were some containers of uncooked rice, several large pieces of fish, and a few packages of chicken.

 _"Someone needs to do better grocery shopping. There is a sad lack of vegetables here,"_ Sakura thought with a slight pout as she pulled out a small piece of chicken. _"I hope no one minds if I cook this,"_ she worried as she rummaged through the decrepit cabinets for a pan to cook with. Finally she found one that wasn't too beaten up and, after a good washing, she put it on the stove and began searing her chicken. As the poultry sizzled in the pan Sakura became eerily aware that she was no longer alone in the kitchen. She kept her back to the person and focused on the food in front of her and didn't turn to acknowledge whomever it was that had just made their presence known, hoping they would just leave. She would, however, have no such luck.

Her chicken was more than ready and she realized that she was going to have to address whoever it was that was boring holes into her back. Giving a small huff, Sakura lifted the pan and transferred the sizzling meat into a plate she had found and turned, willing herself to remain calm.

"Hello, brat."

Sakura's breath caught as her eyes met with Sasori's, his gaze burning through her. She didn't respond and instead walked around the Sand nin as he leaned against the island counter, not really wanting to speak to the man that had nearly killed her. Silently, she sat down at an old dining table a few feet away and began to quietly eat her food, refusing to face him. With a scoff he lifted himself off of the counter and prowled over to her, black cloak swirling.

"It 's rude to ignore your superiors, little girl," he baited softly, crossing his arms as he took the seat opposite her at the table, that fiery gaze still scorching through her. Instead of arguing with the red haired terrorist, Sakura changed the subject.

"Did you finish healing my side?" she questioned quietly, her green eyes glued to the table. Sasori's mouth twitched downwards for a spilt second, but other than that he showed no reaction to her inquiry. He remained silent, his mood seeming to shift as her question sank in. Frustrated, Sakura shot her head up, eyes flashing as they met his.

"Did you finish healing me?" she repeated, louder this time, suddenly needing to know the answer. Sasori met her unyielding gaze and was silent for a moment more before uncrossing his arms and sitting up straight.

"Yes," he replied simply, he face and voice showing no change in tone or emotion. Sakura couldn't help but frown in confusion, always having trouble concealing her strong feelings.

"…Why?" she questioned softly, her confusion showing in her voice as she stared down the Red Scorpion opposite her.

"As we traveled you began to whimper and you started to spit up blood," he revealed, irritation lacing his voice. "One of your ribs had broken completely and made a small puncture in your lung. You needed to be healed," he finished curtly, cocking his head to one side, crimson hair swaying. Sakura's emerald eyes widened a bit as she realized her fear of a damaged lung had not been ungrounded. If gone untreated, her chest would have filled with liquids and she would have quite literally drowned in her own blood.

"Oh…" she responded, not really sure what to do now. There should have been hostility between the two ninja but since they were not in a situation where they could engage in combat, a strange air of confusion and awkwardness hung in the air.

"Go ahead and ask, girl. I can see another question on your face," Sasori commanded smoothly, his voice breaking the bizarre silence. Sakura swallowed thickly and she slowly looked up and met the Sand Nin's eyes.

"Did you change my bindings?" the pink haired kunoichi inquired softly, a small threat laced into her question. His unwavering gaze never left hers, his scorching hazel eyes never losing their intensity beneath his dark lashes.

"Yes," he replied, his voice low and soft. Sakura's heart began to hammer as she felt embarrassment and shame flood her cheeks, causing them to turn a soft shade of red. Quickly averting her gaze back to her plate, she continued to eat, although she had completely lost her appetite.

 _"I can't believe I got myself into a situation where a traitorous murderer had to strip and heal me,"_ Sakura inwardly seethed, unimaginably angry at herself. After a few moments of quiet, she spoke again, her voice low.

"Did the others see me?" she ground out, her voice barely above a whisper. There was a long pause, causing Sakura to look up to see if Sasori was intending on responding. When her eyes fell upon his face she was surprised to see a strange look, almost resembling hurt across his features. However, it was quickly replaced by his usual sneer when their eyes met.

"No, I was the only one to see you," he replied coolly, watching her reaction very carefully. Sakura nodded slowly and sat back a bit in her chair, honestly relived that the other men hadn't seen her half naked and so vulnerable.

"Why…have you not healed the scar? You are capable of healing a katana wound," Sasori asked quietly, interrupting Sakura's thoughts. Instinctively, her hand reached down and caressed the near fatal injury at her side, feeling the raised skin under the thin fabric of her shirt. Sparkling jade eyes rose to meet the Scorpion nin's as he stared her down, intense silence engulfing them as his question hung in the air. Slowly, quietly, Sakura finally answered.

"It's so I don't…forget," the blossom haired girl revealed softly, fingertips still ghosting over the scar.

"Forget what?" Sasori asked her quietly, his brow ever so slightly furrowed.

"Almost losing my life…and the man that nearly took it," she replied, her eyes locked onto the male across from her. After a long, intense moment of silence, she spoke again.

"How are you alive?" she whispered harshly, her voice a mix of anger and awe. Sasori's jaw visibly clenched and unclenched, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Suddenly, his eyes flicked over to the side before quickly returning back to Sakura.

"That is a story for another day, girl," he replied coldly before swiftly standing, and silently withdrawing from the room, black cape swirling. Sakura sat back, confused about his sudden exit when she suddenly heard footsteps over to her left.

"Oh, look who took a bath, hm," a bombastically loud voiced called to her, causing her head to throb painfully.

"What do you want, Deidara?" Sakura snapped back, turning her head to face the blond man currently walking towards her.

"Oh, you know my name?" he asked coyly, striding over to her with a sneer on his face.

"Yes, you're in the bingo books and you made an attempt on my teammate's life," she stated plainly, cocking her head as she rose from the table, grabbing her dishes as she went.

"Mm, yeah, the Copy Nin. You know, you and your team seem to have a problem with fucking up my arms, hm," Deidara called to her as Sakura began cleaning the dishes, causing an involuntary chuckle from the kunoichi. When she turned she noticed Deidara looking at her with a very strange expression, like a mixture of confusion and disgust. Putting her hand on her hips, Sakura stood and let him look, his one visible eyes credulously scanning her body.

"You finished?" she snapped, hip cocking to one side as she addressed the blond bomber. He wrinkled his nose and turned away, huffing. He began to shift his body so that he was sitting on the kitchen table when his arm bumped the wooden surface, causing him to emit a pained hiss. Sakura paused and watched him gently cradle his shattered arm, feeling a strange twinge of guilt and self-satisfaction.

"What?" Deidara barked at her when he caught her starring, causing the green eyed girl to promptly look away.

"You're a real piece of work, hm," he grumbled as he slid onto the table, his long blond hair cascading down his back. Biting her lip, Sakura gave him a cautious sideways glance.

 _"He's so weirdly talkative, not like I imagined. Maybe I can get some answers out of him,"_ Sakura thought to herself, eyeing the man pouting on the table. Stealthily, like a predator stalking its prey, she slowly walked over to him.

"Well, you managed to capture me. Now what? Just going to keep drugging and dragging me around wherever you go?" she baited carefully, leaning against the kitchen counter as she addressed him. With a grim chuckle, Deidara turned to her, his expression a slight grimace.

"Nah, Leader-sama has plans for you, hm," he replied coldly, the humor gone from his face. Sakura frowned, crossing her arms.

 _"We don't know anything about the Akatsuki's leader. In fact, all we know is that there are around ten members that are gathering the tailed beasts. I need to find out what it is they plan to do,"_ she thought to herself, clenching her jaw in determination.

"What does your leader want with me?" Sakura asked simply, trying to make her voice sound a little frightened as she addressed him. Deidara just shrugged, turning away from her.

"Hell if I know. I just stick around to display my art, hm," the blond replied, obviously not very interested in the current conversation.

 _"Uhg, this is going nowhere,"_ she inwardly growled, beginning to get irritated. She was about to ask another question when a dark presence suddenly made her hair stand on end. Deidara turned and rolled his eyes, obvious distaste splayed across his face as he addressed the dark man silently entering the room.

"Oh, perfect," he growled, huffing through a curtain of blond hair.

"You should not be speaking so freely to her," a velvet smooth voice sounded as Itachi silently walked towards them, red eyes gleaming. Sakura stood motionless and carefully watched him from the corner of her eyes, her senses on high alert. Deidara, on the other hand, threw the Uchiha a hate filled glare and slid off of the table with a loud thud.

" You don't give me orders, Uchiha," he spat, then turned on his heel and left the room, his long hair whipping behind him. Sakura's eyes widened at his outward hatred of Itachi as he quickly excited the door, marveling that he could stand up to the infamous assassin of the Leaf. She began to turn her head back around when she felt the soft brush of fabric against her arm and she stilled completely.

Swallowing thickly, she willed herself to move, slowly raising her head upwards. Looking up she saw Itachi's dark gaze leering down at her through his long bangs, his broad chest a mere breath away from her back. Her crystalline eyes widened as his fingertips ghosted across her arm, goose bumps rippling across her skin.

"You should be careful, kunoichi. If you go doing things you shouldn't, I will be forced to reprimand you," his voice reverberated softly, his lips mere inches from Sakura's face as he spoke. His cool voice made her insides squirm and sent fresh waves of chills all throughout her body, causing the young girl to suppress a shiver. He held her there for a moment, fingertips grazing the skin of her arms before finally backing away, red eyes never leaving her.

Gasping after realizing she had been holding her breath, Sakura slowly turned to him, confused and somewhat frightened. Itachi's presence was so overpowering that it seemed to engulf her, threatening to consume her completely. She attempted to hold his gaze but was forced to drop her eyes after a few moments, her skin still burning from where he had touched her. Briskly turning, Sakura began to leave the room, but not before casting a glance at the dark man from across her shoulder.

"Don't put your hands on me again," she instructed lowly, her emerald eyes blazing. He never looked away, but he didn't acknowledge her command either, causing the blossom haired girl to scowl before finally exciting the room.

The rest of the day proved uneventful. Sakura spent her time pooling chakra and regulating it throughout her body, not really wanting to leave her room again. Time passed slowly as she sat there, alone in the musty room. After long hours of meditation a loud bang startled Sakura, breaking her concentration. Her door flew open with a loud crack as a huge cloaked man stepped in, followed by a gigantic sword.

"Hello, sweetness. It's time to drain you," the blue man instructed, flashing a sharp-toothed grin.

 _"Is it nighttime already?"_ Sakura wondered as she gave a stiff nod, sliding off of the bed to meet Kisame half-way across the room. She stood before him and looked up, not really sure what to do.

"Now just hold still and don't fight, girl. It'd be a shame if this had to get physical," Kisame ordered, a sly smile plastered across his features. Sakura's cheeks warmed as the shark man made a slight innuendo, completely caught off guard by his playfulness. The playful mood was soon dashed as Kisame flung his huge sword over his shoulder so that it landed flush against Sakura's left side with a thunderous bang.

Her entire body went rigid as a strange sensation began to assail her muscles, her energy beginning to be sucked from her. After a few moments a nauseous feeling began to overtake her, the extraction of the entirety of her chakra proving to be too much. Sakura's eyelid's drooped and her limbs went numb, causing her knees to buckle before she collapsed on the floor. She caught herself on her hands and knees, making a pathetic attempt to stand before her arms gave out, falling once again on the cold floor. Panting, Sakura turned her head and gazed up at Kisame, her trembling body completely drained of energy and chakra. He was looking down at her sad state with a look akin to pity as he slowly slung his sword back atop his shoulder.

"Sorry, princess," he apologized, then promptly left the room, the old door creaking shut behind him. Sakura remained on the floor, too exhausted to make another attempt to stand. After a few moments she rolled onto her stomach and tried to push herself off of the floor, muscles trembling from the sudden removal of her chakra. As she struggled to stand the door opened again, much to her dismay.

" _What now?!"_ she lamented as she straightened her wobbling legs, still on all fours.

"Oy, what are you doing, hm?"

" _Oh Gods…"_ Sakura groaned, screwing her eyes shut. Giving a huff, Sakura forced herself off of the floor, wobbled as she fought to regain her balance. Straightening herself on trembling legs, she looked up to see Deidara eyeing her with a strange face. Backing up so that her waist rested against the bed, Sakura finally addressed him.

"What do you want?" she huffed through her tussled pink locks, her breath still a little uneven form her struggle on the floor. He sauntered in, a strangely mischievous grin on his face.

"Weapons check, hm," he replied coyly, causing Sakura's face to become flushed.

"You're joking, right?" she asked nervously as the blond continued to approach her, his one visible eye sparkling. Cocking his head to one side Deidara smiled wickedly, silently beckoning Sakura towards him with his unbroken hand. When she refused to come forward, Deidara huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Listen, I have to do this, hm. Refuse and you can forget about leaving this room," he snapped, giving her a clear ultimatum. Sakura bit her lip and hung her head, telling herself this is what she needed to do in order to gather information for her village. Taking a deep breath, the young kunoichi straightened, moving one leg tentatively forward. After a shaky step, Sakura stood before Deidara and gave a curt nod, silently telling him she would comply. The corner of his mouth twisted upwards for a moment before he stepped forward so that his chest was flush with hers, his proximity causing Sakura a huge deal of discomfort.

Suddenly he raised his unbroken arm and began to pat her down, starting with her shoulders, then moving downwards. His movements were quick, and he didn't linger, but Sakura's couldn't suppress the furious blush that erupted across her cheeks as his palm pressed across the expanse of her body. Deidara silently moved downwards, his hand pressing against her chest, stomach, hips, then, finally, her thighs. The trembling in her legs intensified when she felt the Akatsuki member's hand press against her inner thigh, causing her breath to catch in her throat.

Deidara's large blue eye quickly glanced up at her from his position on the floor before he abruptly stood and took a step back from her.

"Okay, good. I'll be back tomorrow, don't do anything stupid until then, hm" he instructed gruffly, avoiding her gaze, not that she could have met it. Her head was turned so that her short, blossom colored hair hung in a curtain over her face, hiding the fierce crimson color of her cheeks. She gave a curt nod, which Deidara hastily accepted. He then quickly turned and exited the room, closing the door a little harder than necessary. After a moment of silence, Sakura's exhaustion finally overwhelmed her and she collapsed on the floor.

Before she could regain her strength and climb back onto the bed her eyelids became impossibly heavy, as did her limbs. As she attempted to raise herself from the floor, her eyes slowly shut and she fell asleep.

Sometime in her dreary state of exhaustion Sakura partially awoke to the sensation of being lifted upwards, someone's arms cradling her to their chest. Forcing her eyelids to open, she strained her eyes in the darkness to see who was carrying her. Groggily, she recognized smooth, pale skin, dark, silky hair, and endless crimson eyes.

"Sasuke-kun…?" she whispered, her voice laced with exhaustion and confusion. Suddenly she became aware of her body being transferred to another surface, her limbs relaxing into the soft material. The figure in the darkness began to pull away, much to Sakura's dismay. Without thinking, her hand shot out and grabbed the arm of the silhouette in the dark, her grip unyielding.

"Don't leave me here…not again" she whispered, her voice shaking with desperation as she pleaded with the man before her. Then sleep finally took her.

Sakura opened her eyes, a strange feeling of anxiousness rousing her awake. Suddenly she shot up from the bed, acutely aware of a presence in the room. Bolting upwards her eyes fell on the figure of a man sitting on the chest across from her bed, watching her.

"Itachi," she gasped out, her chest heaving from her abrupt awakening. He merely starred at her, his arms folded across his chest as he watched her. Breath still heaving, Sakura suspiciously looked around the room, finding the door to be closed and Itachi to be the only other person in the room. She ran a hand through her tousled hair and looked back at him, her heart racing.

"What are you doing here?" she asked credulously, a hint of nervousness in her voice. Ignoring her, he uncrossed his legs and arms, lacing his fingers together in his lap.

"I need you to answer a question," he stated softly. Even though his tone was calm, Sakura could tell that it was a command, not a request. Her heart pounding, she returned his gaze, unable to object.

"What is my brother to you?"

…. ….. … …

Well there it is, the next chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. Over the course of the next few chapters things will begin to heat up, just a warning. As always, feel free to leave a review, let me know what you think, or shoot me story ideas. I love to hear from you!

Thank you for your support.

Long live Naruto.


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